His face went through a lot in a second. Surprise, and then something guarded, and then something he couldn't help. He was eleven. They set him down. He came over to the rail slowly, in his safety glasses, the controller lanyard still around his neck.
"You came," he said.
"I came late."
"Yeah." He looked at Jalen, who was grinning like an idiot, and then back at her. "You missed autonomous in quals. That was the best one."
"I know. Grandpa sent pictures."
"Grandpa can't take pictures."
"I know that too."
He almost smiled. Not quite. He looked at the rail between them, and she saw him deciding something, the way he decided things, with a rule.
"The gear held," he said. "Every match."
"I saw it."
"Okay." He nodded. "Okay. I have to go back. We have to take Spool to inspection for nationals."
He went. He didn't hug her. She hadn't expected him to. Jalen put his arm around her shoulders, which he hadn't done since he got taller than her, and they stood there.
Walter came down out of the bleachers and stood a few feet from them, his hands behind his back.
"Daddy," Renita said.
"Renita."
"Thank you for bringing him."
"Thank you for signing." He paused. "Thank you for driving four hours to see a robot lose."